Hollow melon-seed-shaped lithium iron phosphate micro- and sub-micrometer plates for lithium-ion batteries

Melon-seed-shaped LiFePO₄ hollow micro- and sub-micrometer plates have been synthesized via a polyol-assisted hydrothermal method. The as-prepared LiFePO₄ hollow materials were new with regard to their single-crystalline shells with large ac surfaces. Based on the detailed analysis of time-dependent studies, a possible growth mechanism was proposed involving nucleation, anisotropic growth, selective etching, and reversed recrystallization. The effects of polyol concentration, reaction temperature, and feeding sequence of precursors on the growth of LiFePO₄ materials were investigated. The electrochemical properties of as-prepared LiFePO ₄ hollow materials were examined as cathode materials. Hollow for better performance: Hollow melon-seed-shaped olivine-type lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) micro- and sub-micrometer plates are synthesized for the first time. A possible growth mechanism including nucleation, anisotropic growth, selective etching, and reverse recrystallization is proposed. This study illustrates a new approach for the growth of inorganic hollow materials for energy-related applications such as lithium-ion batteries.